Wasteland 2's delay means even more player reactivity can be added

Some sad news has recently come from inXile Entertainment concerning Wasteland 2, but it's not all bad. The game is being delayed, however it's because of inXile's desire to add even more reactivity to the world. Every player choice is being amplified, so yes, it creates a delay, but it should be well worth it. If it means an even more perfect vision of Wasteland 2, then players should be welcoming it.

Brian Fargo, CEO of inXile, has a lot to say about why player reactivity is such a huge part of the game, including the following:

We’re really hanging our hat on reactivity. Reactivity and choice. The scope and scale of the game, and the reactivity part is an absolute part of [the delay]. The levels are all fundamentally in, and all we’re doing is sitting around all day saying, ‘What about this? What about this? What about that?’ We watch people playing the game, and they come up with a clever way to do something, we want to accommodate that. That’s why with role-playing games, we can do difficult puzzles. It’s not like an adventure game where you hit a stop and you’re just done. I can level up and get around something. Brute force it. Blow it up. Find another route.

It basically ensures that no two playthroughs are going to be the same, no matter what. It also means the dialog isn't entirely locked in either, with inXile still making changes to it, and Fargo basically saying those will happen until the very end. Project lead Chris Keenan also said the developer isn't shy about blocking entire areas or levels in playthroughs based on choices. InXile president Matt Finley went even further by saying, "About half the game, most people will never see."

Some players may do things so terrible they get kicked out of the Rangers, which completely changes the game. Others may be forced to kill a party member who can't keep selling gear for booze money. Anyone in the game can be killed at any time, and there's no replacement character to take their place. Kill them or kick them out of your party and that's that.

All the extra funding Wasteland 2 picked up is making all this extra reactivity possible. Fargo wants Wasteland 2 to be a game people talk about 10 or more years down the road, and one where he can deliver the very best experience possible. From the sound of things, he and the rest of the crew at inXile are well on their way to accomplishing that goal. Just we have to wait a little longer to experience it. Wasteland 2's beta is planned to begin in October, and once a launch date is announced, we'll be sure to let you know.